Hewlett Packard IPAQ h4355 Pocket PC

I've had my iPAQ 4355 for a week now and it has vaulted to near the top of my indispensable gadget list, second only behind my robot lawn mower which still occupies the number one spot. I've tried PDA's before and laptops of various sizes but none of them combine portability, usability and out of the box functionality that this unit brings to the table.

Instead of repeating all the specs, which are available several places on the internet, I'm going to spend my time focusing on capabilities and functionality.

Form Factor

With the built in keyboard one might read the size specs (5.4H x 2.9W x 0.6D inches) and get the wrong idea. It's a little longer than a standard PDA, but because it's so thin it actually feels smaller. I can slip it my front pants pocket, in the case, and it's barely noticeable. No trouble at all to carry. Vastly more portable than even my smallest laptop.

Keyboard

This was the feature that sold me on this unit. The built-in keyboard is a little small for my big paws but very functional. One of the other reviewers said you might not want to write a novel on it, yet that's exactly what I do with it. Anytime I've got a couple minutes I can add a few lines to the book. Whether it's at the doctor's office, the coffee shop, or waiting for a meeting to start I have ceased being bothered by waiting a few minutes. I use my iPAQ for the rough-out sections and do the cleanup and re-writing on my big PC. The only trouble I have is using two hands on the keyboard and switching back to the stylus for the word complete function in Pocket Word.

Media

For playing movies and music it is everything one would expect from Media Player 9. I'm no fan of MSFT, but the pocket media player is very nice. Music through my iPAQ is clean and clear with volume loud enough to drowned out any ambient noise. A hot latte and some good tunes and I'm good for a couple chapters off in my own little world. It takes a standard mini-headphone jack so any of my headphones work.

Movie quality for wmv files is extremely good. At first the player window wasn't big enough for the video until I discovered the full screen button which changes the orientation to wide screen and you have to hold the unit on its side but it's wonderful. I've never seen wmv video play that clear on a PDA before. Amazing.

Voice Recording

It took me a couple days to figure out the hot button for voice recording on the side of the unit. Once I discovered it I couldn't stop using it. It's so handy for recording a quick reminder or flash of inspiration while driving. The only downside is the button is kind of clumsy spot and is easy to hit trying to slide the unit out of the case. A very minor annoyance that also allows you to make voice notes without taking the unit out of the case. The internal mic is very clear and the recording quality is unusually high for simple voice notes.

Integrated Wi-Fi

The integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is wonderful. The receive distance on Wi-Fi is comparable to my laptop, maybe a bit shorter range but not much. Haven't had a chance to try the Bluetooth capability yet. Setup is fairly intuitive which is good because the help files aren't very helpful and actually seem like they were written for a different unit.

It has a lot of different ways to communicate with other devices. If Wi-Fi and Bluetooth don't do it for you, there's an infrared connector.

A lot of times I'll use the PDA to surf and answer mail because I can relax out in hammock instead of sitting at the computer. Bonus territory. The only drawback to surfing is if the site isn't formatted for portable devices it looks like doody, all jammed into a narrow little column. If I'm at my buddy's coffee shop I can log into his wireless connection and never miss messages while I'm there.

PC Synchronization

This is one area that could use improvement, but this is a software issue not a hardware problem. ActiveSync, quite frankly, blows. Unless you want to use Lookout there's no way to synchronize your contacts. File transfer is relatively easy but I would like to find a way to synchronize with non-MSFT products, especially on my Linux box. In fairness this is a Windows CE PDA, so I guess I shouldn't be shocked it doesn't sync easily with Linux. There are likely tools available, I just haven't had time to hunt them down yet.

The one hardware issue I have with PC synchronization is the cradle. The section the PDA fits in is really clumsy. You have to stick it on this little stub and I'm always afraid I'm going to bend the charging connector. It's weak and seems cheap.

Battery Life

Provided you don't leave the wireless card on the battery life is quite good. Even when running the wireless card I haven't been able to use the unit long enough in one day to get the bottom of the battery. Which is more luck than anything because I can't find a battery level indicator. Guess when you run out, you're done. 49 bucks for an after market spare battery. But be careful that probably voids your warranty. I'll risk it.

Storage

54 megs goes fast these days. Fortunately the expansion slot isn't being used by the Wi-Fi card can be used for additional storage. A must if you want to carry a lot of music and movies.

Software

The unit comes with Outlook 2002 and ActiveSync on CD. Be sure and install the ActiveSync on your PC before plugging the unit into the PC connector cable.

Final Word

Overall this unit is a winner. The most functionality I've found short of a full blown laptop and it fits in a jacket pocket. The integrated wireless functionality is super and an integrated keyboard makes this unit stand above its peers. The majority of my criticisms are with the software, not the unit itself. The MSFT faithful will get more functionality than the rest of us, especially if you use that security freak show called Outlook on your PC.

There must've been a price increase on this model recently as all the vendors are showing fifty dollars more than I paid. Still worth it.